Baby Shower Gift List

What's the best type of baby gear to put on your baby-shower registry? While there are no hard-and-fast rules, some things are worth keeping in mind as you write up your wish list.

When you have a baby shower, you can count on getting lots and lots of baby gifts. And that’s a good thing because as small as babies are, the list of essential gear for babies is quite large! That’s why making a baby-shower registry is important — it gives your family and friends an opportunity (or multiple opportunities if you’re lucky) to help you amass all you’ll need as you’re preparing for your baby and to get you through the first year of your new baby’s life.

You don’t have to feel shy about putting together a baby-shower gift list or registry — or letting your hosts know where you’re registered so that they can spread the word. Making up a registry is the easiest way to let people know what you really want. A baby-shower registry also lets you keep track of what you’ve already received so that you don’t end up with a bazillion blankets and newborn-sized onesies. You might even consider using an online registry site that lets you pull together items from a variety of online stores into one registry (some even enable you to accept monetary contributions, say, for your little one’s college fund).

When it comes to baby-shower etiquette, there are no hard-and-fast rules about what you can and can’t put on your baby-shower gift list, so go ahead — load it up with everything from strollers to spoons, bouncy seats to bibs. Doing so helps ensure that your baby-shower registry includes a variety of price points so everyone can find something they can afford (or they can band together to get you a pricier item).

One thing to keep in mind: Be sure to road test the items you’re registering for to make sure the baby gear you end up receiving really suits you. There’s no sense putting the super deluxe stroller on your registry and then discovering later that you can’t easily lift or close it. And of course, before adding anything to your baby-shower registry, check recalls.gov to be sure it hasn’t been recalled (in case, say, someone spots it on eBay and gets it for you).

What else do you need to consider as you’re making up your baby-shower gift list (and checking it twice!)? For one, not everything you want or need must end up on that list. There are some things you may want to spring for yourself and others you can ask family members (or even close friends for). For another, don’t forget to put practical items, like diapers and wipes, down on your wishlist. Although these aren’t necessarily seen as “aww-inspiring” gifts — indeed, many people don’t consider them gifts at all — when you think about how many you’ll go through between birth and potty training, a couple of packs that you don’t have to buy make these very generous gifts indeed.

Buy it yourself

These are the bare essentials to have on hand even before your baby shower — since babies keep to their own schedules, and sometimes (surprise!) they come early. So try buying a car seat for your infant in advance — you’ll need it for your new baby to go home in. Other buy-it-yourself gifts, like the breast pump, are sometimes considered too personal for others to purchase for you.

Helpful hint: Don’t stock up on too much formula or diaper cream because it may take you a while to learn which products you — and your baby — like. The same goes for diapers — you don’t know how big your baby will be at birth or how fast she’ll outgrow those newborn-sized nappies.

Ask your family for

What your close friends will probably love buying

Count on your friends for things that are stylish, useful, and guaranteed to get a big "aww!" or "ooh!" when you open the gift at your shower; the cool gizmos you’d love to have but would never buy yourself (hello, wipes warmer); or certificates for babysitters and restaurant dinners to remind you that you’re more than a mom.

Adorable outfits, bibs, and burp cloths (the cuter the saying, the better!)

From the What to Expect editorial team and Heidi Murkoff, author of What to Expect When You're Expecting. Health information on this site is based on peer-reviewed medical journals and highly respected health organizations and institutions including ACOG (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists), CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) and AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics), as well as the What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff.